The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

169. Unnerved

As the month went on, Althea heard nothing back from either Snape or the Minister in regards to her essay, but as it was, she was more concerned for Neville. He had almost entirely stopped talking in D.A. meetings, instead focusing entirely on learning each spell Harry and Althea taught to the point where he was learning everything almost as fast as Hermione who was usually the first to learn everything. Even when not in the meetings, Althea could always find him in a corner, working harder than anyone else in all of his lessons.

By mid-February, Althea had all but given up on ever hearing back about her essay, but then to her surprise, she found herself in Professor Umbridge's office, staring at the toad woman as she glared at her, looking angrier than she had ever seen her before.

"Yes?" Althea said in confusion.

"Did you or did you not write this essay?" Umbridge snapped, slamming down a long scroll.

Althea frowned, picking it up and unrolling it. She skimmed through it, but quickly rolled it back up as she said, "Professor, I can't have written this. It's not in my handwriting." Holding up her hand, she added, "As you ought to know. I write in cursive, not this spidery scrawl."

"You are banned from Hogsmeade," Umbridge said coldly.

"Okay," Althea said carelessly.

"You are not permitted to play Quidditch," Umbridge added.

Fighting back a smile, Althea said, "Okay."

She had never played Quidditch in her life, even for fun.

"And," Umbridge resumed, a wicked gleam coming into her eye, "you are not longer permitted to visit your mother for non-injury-related purposes or to tell her of this ban."

Instantly, the smile left Althea's lips.

Coldly, she asked, "Is that all or would you like to ban me from eating as well?"

"That's all," Umbridge said in a tone of satisfaction. "You may go."

Instantly, Althea went to a different office and knocked.

"Come in," Professor McGonagall said in her sharp, brisk voice. Catching sight of her, she asked, "What is it? Have you come for Transfiguration help?"

"Yes," Althea lied, shutting the door behind her. Loudly, she said, "I know we've already finished them, but I'm still confused on Vanishing Spells." Softly, she whispered, "Umbridge banned me from seeing my mother."

"What part, Miss Black?" McGonagall asked in an equally loud voice. Whispering, she asked, "Why?"

"I wrote and sent an article to the Minister explaining why her class model was ineffective and she assumed it was me even though I didn't sign my name," Althea whispered back. Louder, she added, "Why exactly is it harder to vanish mammals?" Softer, she added, "But she banned me from even telling Mum I'm not allowed to talk to her. Can you tell her for me?"

McGonagall nodded as she said, "Now, Black, if you're just going to ask stupid questions and waste my time, you may as well be asking me to waste your time with detention. Go study the notes you should have taken."

"Thank you," Althea whispered before ducking out of her office.

.

"What's this?" Althea asked, sitting down next to Harry for breakfast at the end of February to find dozens of owls looking for his attention.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Harry said. "The Hogsmeade visit right after Umbridge banned you? I told Rita everything and she wrote an article about what happened and put it in the Quibbler.

"Sick," Althea said, beginning to dig into the owls to pull out letters. "Well done, Harry. I don't think I'd have had the guts."

Harry smiled at that, also beginning to grab letters.

"What is going on here?" a high, girlish voice behind them asked.

Looking up, Harry was unsurprised to see Umbridge surveying the scene coldly.

"Why have you got all these letters, Mr Potter?" she asked slowly.

"Is that a crime now? Getting mail?" Fred said loudly, not looking up from the letters he had helped himself to.

"Be careful, Mr Weasley," Umbridge said coolly. "Or I shall have to put you in detention. Well, Mr Potter?"

Hesitating a moment, Harry admitted, "People have written to me because I gave an interview about what happened to me last June."

"An interview?" Umbridge repeated. "What do you mean?"

"I mean a reporter asked me questions and I answered them," Harry said. "Here-"

As he tossed the copy of the Quibbler at her, she caught it and began staring down at the cover as though it were abysmally offensive to her. Althea glanced up to the teacher's table and instantly saw her mother, who was watching them with amusement, yet as she met her daughter's gaze, Althea instantly knew McGonagall had told her what happened. Eliana waved at her with a sad smile. Althea smiled back at her, quickly looking away as she blinked back tears.

"When did you do this?" she snapped.

"Last Hogsmeade weekend," Harry replied.

"There will be no more Hogsmeade weekends for you!" Umbridge cried. "I have tried again and again to teach you not to tell lies. The message, apparently, he's still not sunk in. Fifty points from Gryffindor and another week's worth of detentions."

As she stalked away, Althea sighed, laying her head against the table.

"You okay, Thea?" Fred asked.

"Exhausted," she replied. "Rebelling is exhausting."

"Hear, hear," Harry sighed.